Young Guns 💪

I've been trying to get back on a rope for a while now to build up some endurance and finally push to 8a's, but it's been a pain in the ass trying to find a partner to climb with, especially when working most evenings and being free during the day. I've been mad keen to get back to Portland to try a couple of routes to help with that and get on an on going project called 'Sign of the Vulcan' (7b+). I decided last minute to go but everyone else seemed busy but managed to get in touch with a coach that comes to Vaux that turned me to one of his clients.

I turn up and they're already trying 'Dumbfounded' this 7b slab route that's my complete anti-style. After a quick warm up, I jump on Dumbfounded to fail miserably. It starts off with this steady tiny crimp line, up to a flat jug, mega high right heel, rock over and press into this greasy slopey undercut then to some good crimps. From here you can have a little rest standing on the ledge before battling up the more powerful section - small cross through into a meh undercut, foot out, big throw up into this greasy flat side pull, left foot way out to this partial drop knee, adjust the right hand onto one of the higher crimps and press out into the break which is pretty good then plain sailing from there. I'm not one for crimping, flexible moves or shouldery presses which, looking at this route, I really need to work on. After a few breaks and coming back to it, I manage to do it in 2 sections, just one move I really struggle on due to the flexibility and inability to press (high heel rock over press just before the ledge).

During my breaks, I keep eyeing up Sign, trying to remember the moves. I remember that if you're tall you can make the first section mega easy but if you're my height and have a lack of shoulders then the first 2 clips have about 12 moves. After this, you need big biceps to go into a slopey but positive undercut, wide foot, match and then move out to a thin pinch and bump into a 2 finger flat pocket. Clip. From here it turns into blocky power moves when your already powered out from the first 12 moves. Left hand does the work, into bad crimp, bump into slight better crimp then deep lock and throw left hand into the Vulcan pocket 🖖. Personally I don't have the coordination to split my fingers like that that quickly so use mid 2 and index. From here, up to some goodish crimps then come out to the arête where there's a massive slopey jug or a positive razor crimp where you can get the next clip. Only problem is its hidden and I didn't trust myself enough or know about it to go for it until removing the draws after (abbing from another line). I didn't get around to doing the top section after bailing so much earlier but now I know for next time and will be stronger by then to cruise it!

Anywho, enough of Portland, time for Young Guns. So, Saturday just gone (2nd), The Castle hosted their squad selection event. With Mike Langley and Alex Fry setting, there was bound to be some good strong blocks. With many of our squad going to the White Spider comp the night before, only Luna and Iris from the VauxSquad turned up. We also had Ce-Ce, one of the VauxComp winners and friend join us in the comp. I didn't end up getting there until about an hour left with the younger category where Iris had been crushing!

After meeting up with her she has recently fell off this hard block and was feeling a little down, but after a quick turn around she got straight back into it stronger than ever! I went around with Ce-Ce looking at the problems and was discussing the look of one of the harder problems in the Loft (video). When it was time for Iris to get on she absolutely annihilated it! With loads of other blocks she dropped first go and trying again she eventually got most of the problems which placed her 3rd overall! A few little mistakes and that was the only problem and again, it happens and you just have to learn from it.

Time for the older two. After the brief warm up and ready to go, the girls start of easy and work their way up (like normal), leaving loads of easy stuff for the end. With every problem being a flash, even some tricksy problems in the loft as well as some easily droppable problems in the Comp Wall. Everything was going great then we hit one of the hardest problems out of the whole set. They gave it one try and rightly so, moved on. We finished off a few problems downstairs and got onto the second hardest problem. Both Ce-Ce and Luna dropped this on the first go, had a mega long rest and saw another competitor do it. With extra psych, they get back on it and Luna crushes it! Unfortunately Ce-Ce didn't get it on the 2nd but while Luna was completing some of her easy climbs, Ce-Ce crushes it on her 3rd try.

Now to finish off all the easy climbs, they are cruising through! Back onto the hard climb in the loft again. Both girls give it their complete all and got mega close! Both of them managed to get a hand onto the last hold but just couldn't hold it. T'was frustratingly close!

At this point I had to leave, but with live updates from Luna's dad, I hear their results. Luna qualifies in 1st place and Ce-Ce in 3rd! Couldn't have asked for a better qualifying result! I was sent some videos of the final blocks and they looked pretty tough but definitely do-able. Luna managed to crush all of them but on the last block dropped the first move which she defo could have flashed which unfortunately put her in 2nd place overall. I don't know how Ce-Ce performed but ended 5th. Both results are mega impressive and I'm really happy for the both of them. Even more so from Luna with competing the night before. Cannot wait to see these guys compete again and begin coaching Ce-Ce.